Watch the National Christmas Tree Lighting ceremonyIn person:Tickets to the National Christmas Tree Lighting event are distributed by lottery via recreation.gov. Lottery dates are typically announced in October. On television/streaming:The event is typically televised after the live event. More details will be available at a later date. About the National Christmas TreeThe 2023 tree was a cut, 40-foot-tall Norway spruce from the Monongahela National Forest in West Virginia. This is the first time the NPS and USDA Forest Service have partnered to bring a tree to the Ellipse. The previous tree, planted on October 30, 2021, was removed on Nov. 11 after developing needle cast, a fungal disease that causes needles to turn brown and fall off. Visit the National Christmas Tree and the Pathway of PeaceThe National Christmas Tree is located south of the White House on the Ellipse. The Pathway of Peace is a collection of trees with student-designed ornaments representing the United States' 56 states and territories, and schools managed by the Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Indian Education and the Department of Defense Education Activity. There is no fee to visit either attraction. |